Lock for selection mechanism for a postage meter

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a locking device for locking all or any higher order of the selection mechanism of a postage meter, so that only a person having a suitable key can unlock it and change the value to be printed and registered. The device is particularly adapted for use in a postage meter utilizing a Thomas-type mutilated drum actuator, a selection gear moved longitudinally along the periphery of said mutilated drum and adapted to set the value to be entered into the registers of the meter, a selection member manually set to position said selection gear, a postage printing mechanism set by said selection member, means for automatically restoring the selection member to a zero position at the end of each cycle of operation, and the specific device includes means for disabling said automatic restore mechanism and means for locking said last mentioned means in any adjusted position and enabling said disabling means.

United States Patent Malavazos, deceased et al.

July 1, 1975 LOCK FOR SELECTION MECHANISM FOR A POSTAGE METER [75] Inventors: Arthur J. Malavazos, deceased, late of Hayward, Calif.; by Gregory A. Malavazos, administrator, San Leandro, Califi; Jan Urdal, San Mateo, Calif.

[73] Assignee: AJM Research Corporation,

Hayward, Calif.

[22] Filed: Apr. 3, 1974 [2l] Appl. No.: 457,591

[52] US. Cl. 235/101 [5i] Int. Cl. G076 1/00 [58] Field of Search 235/101 {56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,079,704 5/1937 Finfrock et al. .r 235/l0l 3,078,79l 2/l963 Heil r r. 235/[01 3,123,292 3/1964 Lundquist 235/l0l Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robyn Wilcox [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates to a locking device for locking all or any higher order of the selection mechanism of a postage meter, so that only a person having a suitable key can unlock it and change the value to be printed and registered. The device is particularly adapted for use in a postage meter utilizing a Thomastype mutilated drum actuator, a selection gear moved longitudinally along the periphery of said mutilated drum and adapted to set the value to be entered into the registers of the meter, a selection member manually set to position said selection gear, a postage printing mechanism set by said selection member, means for automatically restoring the selection member to a zero position at the end of each cycle of operation, and the specific device includes means for disabling said automatic restore mechanism and means for locking said last mentioned means in any adjusted position and enabling said disabling means.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures LOCK FOR SELECTION MECHANISM FOR A POSTAGE METER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention can be considered as actually, if not legally, a division of my copending application entitled Arithmetic Unit for a Postage Meter, filed on even date herewith, Ser. No. 457,592; and as such, is adapted to be complementary to the mechanisms described in my copending applications entitled Register for a Postage Meter," filed on even date herewith, Ser. No. 457,593; Print Head for a Postage Meter, filed on even date herewith, Ser. No. 457,595; and Selection Mechanism for a Postage Meter," filed on even date herewith, Ser. No. 457,594.

Postage meters are made under strict regulations prescribed by the United States Post Office which require, among other things, that a value selected for the meter must be accurately set in the value printing stamp of the meter and accurately set into each of two registers: one in which the values are accumulated, known as the ascending register," and one in which a value of the stamp is subtracted from the value set by the Post Office at the time of payment for postage, known as the descending register," and a mechanism which locks the meter against operation when the value in the descending register falls below that which could be set into the meter by the operator. The particular mechanism described and claimed herein relates to the selec tion mechanism for such a postage meter and specifically to a mechanism which locks the selection mechanism in any adjusted position, order-by-order, from the highest to the lowest order and unlocked from the lowest to the highest. This locking mechanism can be used to lock any higher order and leave the lower orders free for adjustment. Also, the mechanism can be locked by a key controlled by a supervisor, so that the operators cannot change the setting of all or any of the higher orders. For purposes of exemplification only, one order of the selection mechanism will be described, although it will be understood, as explained hereafter in the specification, that there will be a plurality of such mechanisms, one for each order of the registers and the print head into which values may be set.

It is well-known in the art that the Post Office with which a meter is registered will, upon the payment of an amount to cover postage desired by the user, reset the descending register from time to time, but the values accumulated in the ascending register are never changed except by machine operation.

Other requirements of the Post Office are that the meter must be accurate in all aspects of its operation. It should be ruggedly constructed to withstand long and hard usage and it must be relatively trouble-free. It is well-known that a meter is so encased in its cover that it cannot even be repaired and the mechanism cannot be changed in any way except to change what are known as slogan" dies on the print head, and except that the descending register can have its setting changed at the Post Office when a Post Office official unlocks access to that register any other repair or change in the meter requires that the meter be officially taken out of service by the distributor and repaired in a facility that is subject to Post Office inspection. Hence, it is essential for a satisfactory postage meter to be rugged and trouble-free in its operation.

Objects It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a keyed locking means for locking a preselected value into the mechanism, whereby the meter will be operative to print the set value stamp on mail matter, and to enter the same value into the two registers and which value can be changed only by one having possession of the proper key.

It is another primary object of the present invention to provide a locking mechanism for the selection device which is operative order-by-order from higher to lower when locking and from lower to higher when unlocking.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a locking device for a postage meter which is controlled by a key to effectively disable an ordinally arranged selection mechanism from operation, beginning with the highest order and terminating with the lowest.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which selectively will restore the selection mech anism ofa postal meter to a zero setting with each cycle of operation, or selectively to set it to reuse the same value for a prolonged period or selectively to set some lower orders for automatic restore while locking the higher orders against restoring.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a locking mechanism for a postal meter whereby a mail room supervisor can lock a preselected value into the selection mechanism by a key lock so as to prevent use of the machine by operators for printing of other postal values.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description of the locking mechanism in the following specification when construed in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the forward part of the main drive shaft, including the selection mechanism and the locking means of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the device shown in FIG. I, such as taken along the transverse vertical plane indicated by the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on a vertical plane immediately in front of the front frame plate and shows the mechanism lying immediately behind that shown in FIG. 2, such as taken on the plane indicated by the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on a transverse plane immediately adjacent the front frame plate, looking toward the front, and is therefore a rear view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 3, such as taken on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a detail view of the selection locking plate of the present invention taken on a forward looking vertical plane immediately behind the second frame plate, such as along the plane indicated by the line 55 of FIG. 1.

The mechanism of the present invention is mounted in a frame structure which includes, among other things, a front frame plate 101, a rear frame plate 102, an end plate 107, and an auxiliary plate I08, all shown in FIG. 1. A fixed round shaft, or axle, is rigidly supported at its front end in the front end plates 107, 108 and at its rear in a frame member not shown in these drawings. The main drive shaft is a hollow cylinder surrounding the bar I15 and maintained in accurate spaced relationship thereto by a plurality of grooved disks 367 which serve to control the setting of the print head (not pertinent to this invention). The various deices which are controlled by the selection mechanism -.-e shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1 and include the Thomas-type mutilated gear actuator 501, the descending register 50 described in the copending application entitled Register for a Postage Meter" above mentioned; an identical Thomas-type mutilated gear actuator 601; an ascending register 60', and a print head 70.

The selection mechanism of the present invention is set by setting wheel 30] which is rotatably mounted on a stud 302 affixed to a plate 303 rigidly mounted on the front frame plate 101 and the rear plate 102.

Each wheel 30] carries a gear 307 that meshes with a rack 315 which is rigidly affixed to a selection bar 320 mounted in suitable bearings carried by the frame plates 101, 102 and 107 for both longitudinal and rotating movement for purposes to be hereinafter described. Each rack 315 carries a yoke 316 that embraces a slot in a 9-tooth gear 512 mounted on a square shaft 510, whereby the gear 512 will be differentially set opposite a selected value tooth on the mutilated drum 501, as more fully described in the application entitled Regis ter for a Postage Meter above referred to. The selec tion bar 320 is provided with a series of circular detent grooves 321 with which is associated a spring ball detent 322 that is resiliently pressed against the bar 320 by a compression spring 323, the ball and spring being held in a suitable cylindrical holder, not shown, carried by the frame of the device. Thus, the bar 320 can be longitudinally adjusted by rotation of the wheel 301 against the force of spring 323, and once adjusted, will be resiliently held in that position by the force of that spring.

It will be understood that there is a setting wheel 301 and an associated selection bar 320 for each order of the selection mechanism. In the preferred form of this invention there are four such setting mechanisms so that a value of $99.99 may be printed and set into the register (or a value of 59.99% in those few instances in which a uses desires a V2 cent mechanism). The bars 320 and setting wheels 301 are angularly placed around the actuator 514 as shown in FIG. 3. Since the mechanisms of all of these selection setting devices are identical, it is believed that only one need be described.

Rearwardly of the detent grooves 321 on bar 320 is an annular notch 324. The groove 324 is embraced by an ascending register yoke 330 which is rigidly secured to an ascending register setting bar 331. The forward end of the register bar is provided with a series of circumferential teeth 332. These teeth mesh with a gear 333 which is rigidly secured to a check dial 334 mounted on a shaft 335. The check dial 334 is provided with indicia showing the values from to 9, inclusive, and is visible through a suitable window in the cover, not shown. The operator can thus determine the value set in the register by looking at the check dials 334 which at all times will correctly register the value set in the mechanism.

Adjacent the rear end of the main setting bar 320 is a series of nine circumferential rack teeth 340. As shown in FIG. 1, this section of the bar has a flattened surface 341. In the drawing it would appear that this flattened surface 341 lies at the very top of the bar in the normal position of the bar. However, in actual construction, it is preferred that this flattened surface be slightly off to the side, being placed 107 from the bottom of the rack key when the bar 320 is in its normal position. Associated with the rack 340 is a restore cam 342, having a series of nine projecting cam faces 343 so angled as to restore the selection bar 320 one tooth, or step, forwardly a cam face engages one of the teeth 340. These nine restore cam faces 343 are so angularly positioned that they trail all of the teeth on the mutilated drum actuator 501. Hence, after digitation is completed, the cam 342, 343 can restore the bar 320 to its 0 position, one step at a time. before the completion of the cycle of operation. On the other hand, if the selection bar 320 is rocked through an angle of l07, the flat 341 will lie opposite the restore cam disk 342 and its nine camming teeth 343 and the bar will not be restored automatically.

Adjacent the forward end of the main selection bar 320 is a second series of circumferential rack teeth 350. While the setting bar can only be moved nine steps to enter a maximum value of nine in any order, it is preferred to provide about double that number of teeth in order to lock the bar in a non-restore position by the means hereinafter described. At this point it can be noted that at least the central portion of this series of rack teeth is flattened, as at 351 (FIGS. 3 and 4), which permit the bar to be moved past a locking plate 420. In the normal position shown in FIG. 1 and in orders 320-u and 320-x in FIG. 5, in which the flat 351 is facing the plate 420 the two do not engage but when the bar 320 is rocked through an angle of 107, the space between adjacent teeth 350 will engage the edge of the plate 420, as shown in orders 320-0 and 320-m in FIG. 5, thereby locking the bar 320 in its adjusted position.

Whether or not the shaft 320 is in the automatic restore position shown in FIG. 1, or in the fixed position just mentioned, the gear teeth 350 of each setting or selection bar 320 meshes with a first idler gear 360 rotatably mounted on a pivot stud 361 and that, in turn, meshes with a second idler 362 rotatably mounted on a stud 363. The two gears 360 and 362 are mounted radially of the fixed bar and drive shaft 120, as shown in FIG. 1. The second idler 362 meshes with a rack portion 364 of a setting bar 365 which runs lengthwise in grooves in the fixed bar, or axle, 115 and inside the rotating cylindrical drive shaft 120. These bars 365 are utilized to set the value print wheels of the print head of the meter, as described in the above identified applications entitled Print Head for a Postal Meter and Selection Mechanism for a Postal Meter.

The means for rotating the main selection bar 320 to set it for either automatic restore or fixed selection will now be described. It is seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 that an interior hand wheel 385 is rotatably mounted on a collar 386 affixed to the forward end plate 107. Rotation of this hand wheel 385 in a clockwise direction from the unlocked postion shown in FIG. 2 serves to lock the ordinal selection bars 320 into which values can be set, order-by-order, from the highest to the lowest, and rotation in a counter-clockwise direction from a clockwise position is efiective, order-by-order from the lowest to the highest, to unlock them. Adjacent the inner end of the hub of hand wheel 385 is a partial gear 387 (FIG. 3). This partial gear 387 can be resiliently detented in any adjusted position by means of five detent notches 388 which can be engaged by a pin 389 carried by a pivoted arm 390 that is resiliently biased into engagement with the partial gear 387 by means of a tension spring 391. The partial gear meshes with an idler gear 395 (FIGS. 3 and 4) that is pivotally mounted on the plate 107 by any suitable means, such as stud 396. The idler 395 meshes with a pair of locking gears 397 and 398, which are identical in construction, but since they are not similarly set, are given distinguishing reference characters. These gears are respectively mounted on studs 399 and 400 carried by the frame plate 107.

Each of the gears 397 and 398 carry a Geneva disk 401 and a 3-tooth gear segment 402 (see FIG. 4). The three elements of gear 397 or 398 and its associated Geneva disk 401 and 3-tooth gear segment 402 are affixed together to form an integral structure. The gear 397 and its assembly are effective to lock the thousands order selection bar 320-m and the hundreds order selection bar 320-c while the gear 398 and its assembly are effective to lock the tens order selection bar 320-x and the units order selection bar 320-u. (Where it is necessary to distinguish between orders of the selection mechanism, the suffix u is used to indicate the units order of the selection bar 320, the suffix x to indicate the tens order, the suffix c" to indicate the hundreds order, and the suffix m to indicate the thousands order selection bars.)

Associated with the wheels 397 and 398 and their integral Geneva wheels 401 and 3-tooth gear segments 402 are a set of mutilated gear sleeves 410 mounted on the four selection orders of the selection bars 320 into which values can be selected. These gears sleeves are rotatably mounted in the frame plate and are slidably but not rotatably mounted on the respective selection bars 320, as by suitable keys or forming their interior aperture with a chordal face complementary to the flat 351 on the front end of the selection bar 320. These. mutilated gears comprise a pair of central gear teetlr 411 (FIGS. 3 and 4). These gears have a width, or a thickness, equal to the thickness of the Geneva disk 401 and the 3-tooth gear segment 402. Adjacent the two central teeth 411 and lying on either side thereof is a long half-thickness web 412 having the radius of a gear tooth and extending angularly for a distance equivalent to two gear teeth, but the trailing edge of this section 412 is a full width tooth 413. In either adjusted position of the locking means, the Geneva disk 401 will lie between one of the extreme gear teeth 413 or the other and the first adjacent central tooth 411, thereby preventing rotation of the mutilated gear 410. When the integral 3-tooth gear 402 and Geneva disk 401 is rotated toward its other position, the first gear tooth of gear segment 402 will engage the forward full tooth 413 and then drive the mutilated gear 410 through an angular distance of the two central gear teeth 411, or about 107 in the preferred form, whereupon the Geneva wheel 401 again comes between the trailing full width tooth 413 and the adjacent central tooth 410. Thus, the gear 410 and consequently its selection bar 320 can be rotated between two angular positions l07 apart and will be locked in the respective positions until again rotated by manipulation of the hand wheel 385.

Whenever a selection bar 320 is rotated from the position shown in FIG. 1 (or from the position shown in the units or tens orders of the bars in FIGS. 3 and 4) by the means just described, the flat 341 on the back end of the selection bar is rotated through an angle of l07 and consequently the restore cam 342 will lie opposite the flat 341 and can have no restorative effect upon the bar 320. A similar fiat 351 on the forward portion of the gear teeth 350 on the forward end of the selection bar 320 normally (non-locking position) faces a locking plate 420 that is rigidly mounted on the frame plate 108. The locking plate 420 is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3 and in full lines in FIG. 5. In FIG. 3 the selection bars 320-14 and 320-x are shown in the position indicated in FIG. 1 in which the flats 351 on those selection bars lie opposed to the locking bar 420, while the flats 351 on the hundreds and thousands order have been rotated to lie angularly from said plate 420 and the plate accordingly lies between two adjacent teeth 350, as shown in FIG. 5. As shown in this fig' ure, the plate 420 has four arms 421, 422, 423 and 424, respectively, which lie opposite the selection shafts 320-u, 320-x, 320-0 and 320-m. When a selection bar 320 is so rocked, the associated arm of the locking plate 424 will engage between two adjacent teeth 350 on the bar 320 and hence it cannot be moved in either direction. By the means just described, the selection mechanism of the present invention can be set orderby-order from the highest to the lowest from an automatic restore position into one in which automatic restoring is impossible and the selection mechanism is locked in its adjusted position; and can be unlocked from the lowest order to the highest.

The hand wheel 385 is surrounded by a locking disk 900 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The locking wheel 900 is rotatably mounted on a shoulder carried by the setting wheel 385 as shown in FIG. 1. The locking wheel 900 has a flattened inner web 901 extending almost through three-quarters of the inner part of the wheel, in which the diametrically opposed knobs 392 and 393 on the setting wheel 385 can rotate freely. It will be noted that the left-hand handle 393 shown in FIG. 2 carries a pointer which is used to indicate which one of the selection orders is in locked position, which handle is longer than its opposite member 392. The balance of the web portion of locking wheel 900 is provided with an upraised shoulder 902 of a radial width sufficient to block counter-clockwise rotation of the longer knob 393. In the position shown in FIG. 2, which is the extreme counter-clockwise position of the setting wheel 385 and the outer disk 900, the knob 393 abuts the end of the blocking section 902, and all of the orders are free to be set by an operator. The inner wheel 385 can be rotated to lock values in preselected orders of the register setting mechanism beginning with the highest and proceeding toward the lowest, as hereinbefore mentioned by rotating the inner wheel 385 in a clockwise direction. In fact, the mechanism shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is in the half-way position in which the two highest orders are locked against change in setting while the two lowest orders are free to be set. In that situation, the pointer knob 393 of the inner wheel 385 would be in the position shown by the dotted lines of FIG. 2. In that position of the two wheels 385 and 900, the outer wheel remaining in the position shown in FIG. 2, the operator of the machine can return the inner wheel 385 to its extreme counter-clockwise position and all of the selection mechanisms would then be free to receive manual settings. In most instances an operator would normally set the inner wheel 385 to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 2 as he would desire to lock the two highest orders in a value of0" while he could freely set values in units and tens orders of the device but could not accidentally set any value in the dollar or tens-ofdollars orders without deliberately desiring to do so.

However, in large mail rooms, the user has been subjected to loss because an employee might deliberately or accidentally run off stamps of higher values than ncessary. When such change was deliberate, it normally was for purposes of theft as the stamps so printed could be redeemed at the Post Office as unused stamps. If desired, the supervisor of a mail room can lock the various ordinal mechanisms beginning with the highest and even including the lowest to a preset value in a manner to prevent the operator of the machine from changing the selection mechanism so set. This is accomplished by rotating the hand-set wheel 385 to lock any or all orders in the selection desired, and then rotating the outer wheel 900 clockwise until the shoulder 902 abuts the setting knob 393. The supervisor would then lock the outer wheel 900 in its adjusted position by means of a key lock. Thus, the inner wheel 385 cannot be rotated counter-clockwise to release any of the selection mechanisms so locked, as the outer wheel 900 is locked in its set position and the inner wheel cannot be rotated counter-clockwise because the setting knob 393 is abutting the shoulder 902.

The mechanism for locking the outer wheel 900 in its adjusted position will now be described. The front frame plate 107 is provided with a key lock 910, as shown in FIG. 3. This lock 910 is set flush with the outer face of the front frame plate 107. This lock is controlled by a suitable key, not shown. When the lock is in an unlocked position, a pin 911 (FIG. 1), which is controlled by the lock, is retracted. When the lock is locked by means of the key, the pin 911 is projected so that it penetrates one of a plurality of precisely set apertures 903 formed in the web 904 of the wheel 900. Thus, the outer wheel 900 is locked in the position set and an operator of the postage meter is unable to change the settings of the supervisor in any of the orders which have been locked by him. The operator, however, can enter adjusted values in any unlocked lower orders. Thus, the supervisor of the mailing equipment, including the postage meter, can lock the higher orders, or all of them, so that it is impossible for the setting of the meter to be changed by an operator. Locking the meter in this way prevents accidental change of values when stamping a run of mail matter in which identical postage will be required. It has been found that in the use of the postage meters, accidental changes of the setting often occur, with considerable loss to the user. if the postage is changed to a lower value than it should be, the mail is not acceptable by the Post Office. In that event, the mailing must be rerun, or if found by the user before taken to the Post Office, will involve the affixing of regular postage stamps by hand to bring the postage to the proper value. It is impossible to add postage by re-running them through the postage meter, as that would only superimpose one stamp upon another. If the setting of the meter is accidentally changed to a larger value than required, the Post Office will offer no objection, but the user is paying greater postage than is necessary.

It is believed obvious that many modifications can be made in the present invention. For example, the locking mechanism does not necessarily have to rotate the selection bars through an angle of 107, for the angle could be greater or less than that. Neither does the lock have to be in the front face of the machine. In fact,

other means than those shown could be used to disable the automatic restoring mechanism and to lock the selection mechanism in an adjusted position. These and other such changes are believed within the scope of the present invention and accordingly, an interpretation of the claims should be commensurate with the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a postage meter, the combination which comprises:

I. manually set and ordinally arranged value selection members for determining the value to be stamped upon mail matter and to be registered in suitable registers; and

2. selectively operable means for locking selected ones of said value selection members in a differentially set position.

2. The apparatus of claim I wherein said locking means comprises a keyed lock.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising also:

1. means for automatically restoring said value selection members to zero in the latter part of each cycle of operation;

2. means for latching said value selection members in a differentially set position;

3. selectively operable means for disabling selected ones of said automatic restoring means and simultaneously enabling the latching means for the same member; and

4. wherein the selectively operable locking means is operable to lock said last mentioned means in an adjusted position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising also:

l. means for automatically restoring said value selec tion members to zero in the latter part of each cycle of operation;

2. means for latching said selection members in a differentially set position;

3. a first manually adjusted means for enabling said latching means and disabling said restoring means order-by-order or alternately enabling said restoring means and disabling said latching means;

4. a second manually adjusted means for preventing operation of said first manually operated means in selected higher orders; and

5. means for locking said second manually operated means in an adjusted position.

5. In a postage meter having a manually operated value selection mechanism for determining the value to be stamped upon mail matter and to register that value in suitable registers, means for automatically restoring said value selection mechanism to zero in the latter part of each cycle of operation, and means for disabling said automatic restore means, a locking mechanism comprising:

l. selectively operable means for latching said value selection mechanism in a differentially set position and simultaneously operating said disabling means; and

2. means for locking said latching means in an adjusted position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said locking means in a keyed lock.

7. In a postage meter having ordinally arranged value selection members for selectively determining the value to be stamped on mail matter and for registering that value in the proper registers, the combination which comprises:

9 l 1. means for restoring said selection members to a member against setting in the position in which said zero value in the latter part of a cycle of operation; automatic restore means is effective and said latch- 2. means for latching said selection members in a seing means is ineffective.

lected value position; 8. The apparatus of claim 7 including also a key- 3. means selectively operable to disable said autooperated lock and means controlled by said lock for matic restore means and to enable said latching locking said second manually operated setting member means or alternately to enable said automatic rein an adjusted position. store means and disable said latching means; 9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the second man- 4. a first manually operated setting member operable ually operated means is operable order-by-order from to set said last mentioned means into either operat- 10 the highest to the lowest to limit operation of said frist ing position; and manually operated means to disable said latching 5. a second manually operable setting member effecmeans and enable said automatic restore means.

tive to limit the setting of said first manual setting 

1. In a postage meter, the combination which comprises:
 1. manually set and ordinally arranged value selection members for determining the value to be stamped upon mail matter and to be registered in suitable registers; and
 2. selectively operable means for locking selected ones of said value selection members in a differentially set position.
 2. selectively operable means for locking selected ones of said value selection members in a differentially set position.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a keyed lock.
 2. means for latching said selection members in a differentially set position;
 2. means for latching said selection members in a selected value position;
 2. means for locking said latching means in an adjusted position.
 2. means for latching said value selection members in a differentially set position;
 3. means selectively operable to disable said automatic restore means and to enable said latching means or alternately to enable said automatic restore means and disable said latching means;
 3. a first manually adjusted means for enabling said latching means and disabling said restoring means order-by-order or alternately enabling said restoring means and disabling said latching means;
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising also:
 3. selectively operable means for disabling selected ones of said automatic restoring means and simultaneously enabling the latching means for the same member; and
 4. wherein the selectively operable locking means is operable to lock said last mentioned means in an adjusted position.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising also:
 4. a second manually adjusted means for preventing operation of said first manually operated means in selected higher orders; and
 4. a first manually operated setting member operable to set said last mentioned means into either operating position; and
 5. a second manually operable setting member effective to limit the setting of said first manual setting member against setting in the position in which said automatic restore means is effective and said latching means is ineffective.
 5. In a postage meter having a manually operated value selection mechanism for determining the value to be stamped upon mail matter and to register that value in suitable registers, means for automatically restoring said value selection mechanism to zero in the latter part of each cycle of operation, and means for disabling said automatic restore means, a locking mechanism comprising:
 5. means for locking said second manually operated means in an adjusted position.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said locking means in a keyed lock.
 7. In a postage meter having ordinally arranged value selection members for selectively determining the value to be stamped on mail matter and for registering that value in the proper registers, the combination which comprises:
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 including also a key-operated lock and means controlled by said lock for locking said second manually operated setting member in an adjusted position.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the second manually operated means is operable order-by-order from the highest to the lowest to limit operation of said frist manually operated means to disable said latching means and enable said automatic restore means. 